Gandalf's horse from The Lord of the Rings is put down after long battle with illness

RIP: Blanco, the horse which played Gandalf's trusty companion Shadowfax in The Lord of the Rings, has died [NEW LINE CINEMA]

“While this leg of Blanco's journey has passed and my heart still aches, I will live in peace knowing we gave our all to aid in his recovery”

Shadowfax's owner Cynthia Royal

The horse's owner Cynthia Royal made the decision to put the majestic white horse down after a long battle with poor health.

In a statement posted to theonering.net, Royal explained that Blanco had suffered from "serious issues with his intestinal tract and liver".

"Although my heart was breaking as my final gift to him, I stayed strong, balanced and focused, gently repeating 'Relax Blanco. Let go. Walk into the light. Relax and let go' as the Blanco I've known so well and loved so deeply slipped away," she said.

"While this leg of Blanco's journey has passed and my heart still aches, I will live in peace knowing we gave our all to aid in his recovery."

The horse featured throughout both the second and third instalments of Peter Jackson's epic trilogy.